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Uri Geller: ‘I’m not saving world from crisis’
Sonning spoon-bender Uri Geller has denied claims he is teaming up with his one-time friend Michael Jackson to psychically save Britain from the credit crunch.
Yesterday, a national newspaper reported Mr Geller, who previously claimed his positive thinking swept the Royals into the Premiership, was going to use subliminal messages to ease the UK out of the current economic doom and gloom.
Yesterday, a national newspaper reported Mr Geller, who previously claimed his positive thinking swept the Royals into the Premiership, was going to use subliminal messages to ease the UK out of the current economic doom and gloom.
The newspaper reported the Israeli-born spoon-bender had recorded a message with Jackson, which would then be added to the background of pop singles.
The paper said Mr Geller and Jackson believed the subliminal message would encourage people to think positively and halt the credit squeeze.
The paper said Mr Geller and Jackson believed the subliminal message would encourage people to think positively and halt the credit squeeze.
It suggested he had approached X Factor supremo Simon Cowell about putting the subliminal message on the competition winner Alexandra Burke’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah – tipped to hit the Christmas number one spot.
Mr Geller told the Evening Post: “I don’t read this newspaper [referring to the national title].
“But a friend emailed me this morning [Thursday] and told me about it. But it is a lie – from the first word to the last.
Mr Geller told the Evening Post: “I don’t read this newspaper [referring to the national title].
“But a friend emailed me this morning [Thursday] and told me about it. But it is a lie – from the first word to the last.
“I do not speak to Michael Jackson anymore. I have not spoken to him for three years.”
Asked why his friendship with the Thriller star ended, he said: “It is a long story but our friendship is done and finished.”
Asked why his friendship with the Thriller star ended, he said: “It is a long story but our friendship is done and finished.”
He recommended the Evening Post read his blog to find out more.
On this it is claimed Mr Geller’s friendship with Michael ended over allegedly anti-semitic remarks Jackson made.
On this it is claimed Mr Geller’s friendship with Michael ended over allegedly anti-semitic remarks Jackson made.
Toots Thielemans joins Jeremy Monteiro on stage
SINGAPORE: Being credited by jazz aficionados as the greatest jazz harmonica player of the century, it is no surprise that Toots Thielemans’ harmonica playing still remains unrivalled.
Even at a ripe age of 86, Thielemans does not show any signs of slowing down and simply plays the harmonica with the dexterity of a saxaphonist.
“Jazz is the flower that grew out of the transplantation of African slaves into American culture in New York. Without the African influence, there wouldn’t be Michael Jackson or Lois Armstrong,” says Thielemans on his music genre he is famous for.
Sing against terror
It is a pity that renowned Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali has cancelled his trip to this country for performing in a cultural festival. He has not done it because he has been dissuaded by Islamabad or he has not got an Indian visa. In fact, he has been given a go-ahead signal by both the countries. His reason for saying no is rather touching. He is shocked by the terror strikes in Mumbai and feels: "I can't sing in such a scenario and neither the audience will enjoy my singing. So I decided not to go.
I had an Indian visa." He has chosen to set the record straight to deny false stories in the Pakistani media that his trip has become a casualty because of the present tension between the two countries. What he has said makes a lot of sense. To put his thoughts together: "Whatever happened in Mumbai is unacceptable. I feel as if it has happened to me. Hum chahte hai ki sab sur me aa jaye (I want that everyone should come on the right track). Music can play the role of healer and artistes can reduce the tension between countries. We should live together in peace. Lataji (Lata Mangeshkar) has a huge fan following in Pakistan and people of India have bestowed so much affection on me. Such tension hurts us deeply. I am performing in India for the past 27-28 years and never felt that I am not a part of them…
Terrorists have no religion. Bad people are everywhere in the world. They do not follow any religion as no religion teaches violence and killing. May Allah save us from these people." He looks forward to singing in Mumbai as and when the situation improves after Muharram during which period he does not perform. His approach reminds us of the famous Pakistani song Yeh Hum Naheen (This is Not Us) written by the neighbouring country's leading lyricist, Ali Moeen, and composed by Shuja Haider. The song says no to terrorism and conveys a twin message. One is that Pakistani people are against terrorism and reject it. The other is that an accusing finger should not be pointed in the direction of the Muslim community the majority of which has nothing to do with terrorism. One of its couplets translated in English is: "We have lost on the way the lesson of living together. We are now even scared of each other. They are others whose faces are on your hands. Your hurts are a deep sea -- our wounds are deep. The stories that are being spread in our names are lies. This is not us."
In terms of impact this musical composition has been compared with We Are the World and Do They
Know It's Christmas both of which were composed in the mid-1980s to mobilise support for the victims of famine in Ethiopia. We Are The world was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and sung by famous American singers joined by Irish Bob Geldof and Canada's Dan Aykroyd. Bab Geldof teamed up with Midge Ure to co-write Do They Know It's Christmas. All these hymns have sent a common message. Human ills are the same and we should overcome them together. Let us sing with one voice against terror.
Avant
After four albums recorded on MJM, NBA star Magic Johnson's label, R&B singer Avant moves to Capital for this self-titled release.
It's a stylish sample of contemporary R&B that's long on slick grooves, swirling strings and occasional punchy touches that are never too ambitious.
It works, mostly, because Avant's voice is as smooth and sweet as the love songs. At times, on songs such as the romantic "Perfect Gentleman," his singing sounds like a mellower Michael Jackson. Actually, it sounds mellow too much of the time.
Although the album is only 40 minutes, there's a sameness that undercuts the positive aspects. If Avant managed to find more edge, or more energy, it would be nice.
Boxes worth opening
Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a 10-CD Led Zeppelin box set from Japan, and if you can't swing its $200 cost, then you don't really love the music geek on your shopping list.
If your love is qualifiable, however, there are excellent options at a host of price points. Many are detailed here, in a guide to the year's most interesting box sets and reissues. And while it's by no means complete, it should do the job.
• Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is an album that, based on sales, should already be in every household with electricity. The 25th anniversary edition comes with seven bonus tracks, most of them remixes, and a DVD containing the epic video for the title track. Give it to your 11-year-old niece who can't stop listening to Lil' Wayne.
More reviews on boxes that are worth opening http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20081219/SCENE04/812190353
UAD Powered Plug-Ins v5.2.0 Software is out
UAD Software version 5.2 is finally available for download. Version 5.2 includes 14-day fully-functional trials of the new Harrison 32C Channel EQ, and Little Labs Phase Alignment Tool. It also includes UAD-2 support for all Powered Plug-Ins, and Pro Tools support for UAD-2 with auto delay compensation.
Pro Tools RTAS Support with Mellowmuse ATA
UAD-2 is now fully RTAS compatible. As a special bonus, UAD-2 users will also receive a free license for Mellowmuse ATA. Mellowmuse ATA provides automatic delay compensation for Pro Tools LE, even for regular plug-ins, with ease. UAD-1 users may download Mellowmuse ATA for the special price of $39.
Harrison 32C Channel EQ
Partnering with Harrison Consoles Ltd., Universal Audio recreates the Harrison four-band 32C channel EQ plug-in derived from the prestigious Harrison 32 Series console. Countless hit records have been made with Harrison consoles for artists from Abba to Sade. Most notably, the 32 Series is the desk with which many Michael Jackson records were produced, including Thriller—the biggest-selling album recording of all time.
The Harrison 32C EQ is modeled directly from Bruce Swedien's own console, and is enthusiastically endorsed by the Grammy-winning Producer/Engineer. The Harrison Powered Plug-In even includes presets made of Swedien's favorite EQ settings. Swedien continues to use the 3232C console as he has for over 25 years, calling the desk "marvelous sounding" and commenting, "The addition of Harrison EQs within Pro Tools is a Godsend."
Full article http://www.macmusic.org/news/view.php/lang/en/id/7319/
Dance your way back into shape
Samba's infectious rhythms, and all its health benefits, are coming your way, reports Marianne Kavanagh.
What you need is music that's so infectious you can't stop yourself moving. Welcome to axé (pronounced ah-sheh), a pop version of samba from Brazil that claims to use up 700 calories an hour.
Dancer Michael Kitchen, who is married to a Brazilian, will be starting axé classes in London in the New Year, and has plans to offer them nationwide over the coming months. ''It's feelgood music with great rhythms,'' says Kitchen. ''You end up finishing a workout without even realising you've done one.''
Watch Kitchen dance and you can see why axé melts off all that shredded suet. The basic step is a kind of laid-back bounce, like a south London teenager in brand new trainers, but you're also punching the air and swaying your spine. There are moves similar to capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian form of martial arts, bits of basic samba, and high-energy sequences that take you across the floor. It's dancing with attitude and you're quickly out of breath.
''I think we really miss out over here," says Kitchen. ''In Brazil, music and dance are so much part of the culture that three-year-olds just learn by copying people around them. Men dance as much as women. If you're a good dancer, you're admired as much as a good footballer.''
Axé hit the streets in the 1990s thanks to Brazilian singers like Ivete Sangalo and Daniela Mercury. Kitchen will be combining this style with samba-reggae, a mixture of traditional Rio-style samba with the Caribbean rhythms of reggae, which began about 20 years earlier. It was made famous by the group Olodum, who have played with Paul Simon and Michael Jackson, and there are now samba-reggae clubs all over the UK.
But can you really take up samba-reggae-axé from scratch? ''Everyone has the capacity to dance,'' says Kitchen firmly.
More http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3831730/Dance-your-way-back-into-shape.html
Today in
Michael Jackson History
Michael Jackson History
1998 - Michael Jackson performed at the grand opening of the Royal Towers at the Atlantis Hotel & Casino in the Bahamas.
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